Abstract
Software systems represent one of the most complex man-made artifacts. Understanding the structure of software systems can provide useful insights into software engineering efforts and can potentially help the development of complex system models applicable to other domains. In this paper, we analyze one of the most popular open-source Linux meta packages/distributions called the Gentoo Linux. In our analysis, we model software packages as nodes and dependencies among them as edges. Our empirical results show that the resulting Gentoo network cannot be easily explained by existing complex network models. This in turn motivates our research in developing two new network growth models in which a new node is connected to an old node with the probability that depends not only on the degree but also on the "age" of the old node. Through computational and empirical studies, we demonstrate that our models have better explanatory power than the existing ones. In an effort to further explore the properties of these new models, we also present some related analytical results.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 6190-6200 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications |
| Volume | 387 |
| Issue number | 24 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 15 2008 |
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Keywords
- Complex networks
- Degree distribution
- Open-source software systems
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Mathematical Physics
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Cite this
Analyzing open-source software systems as complex networks. / Zheng, Xiaolong; Zeng, Dajun; Li, Huiqian; Wang, Feiyue.
In: Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Vol. 387, No. 24, 15.10.2008, p. 6190-6200.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Analyzing open-source software systems as complex networks
AU - Zheng, Xiaolong
AU - Zeng, Dajun
AU - Li, Huiqian
AU - Wang, Feiyue
PY - 2008/10/15
Y1 - 2008/10/15
N2 - Software systems represent one of the most complex man-made artifacts. Understanding the structure of software systems can provide useful insights into software engineering efforts and can potentially help the development of complex system models applicable to other domains. In this paper, we analyze one of the most popular open-source Linux meta packages/distributions called the Gentoo Linux. In our analysis, we model software packages as nodes and dependencies among them as edges. Our empirical results show that the resulting Gentoo network cannot be easily explained by existing complex network models. This in turn motivates our research in developing two new network growth models in which a new node is connected to an old node with the probability that depends not only on the degree but also on the "age" of the old node. Through computational and empirical studies, we demonstrate that our models have better explanatory power than the existing ones. In an effort to further explore the properties of these new models, we also present some related analytical results.
AB - Software systems represent one of the most complex man-made artifacts. Understanding the structure of software systems can provide useful insights into software engineering efforts and can potentially help the development of complex system models applicable to other domains. In this paper, we analyze one of the most popular open-source Linux meta packages/distributions called the Gentoo Linux. In our analysis, we model software packages as nodes and dependencies among them as edges. Our empirical results show that the resulting Gentoo network cannot be easily explained by existing complex network models. This in turn motivates our research in developing two new network growth models in which a new node is connected to an old node with the probability that depends not only on the degree but also on the "age" of the old node. Through computational and empirical studies, we demonstrate that our models have better explanatory power than the existing ones. In an effort to further explore the properties of these new models, we also present some related analytical results.
KW - Complex networks
KW - Degree distribution
KW - Open-source software systems
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=49649092807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=49649092807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.physa.2008.06.050
DO - 10.1016/j.physa.2008.06.050
M3 - Article
VL - 387
SP - 6190
EP - 6200
JO - Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications
JF - Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications
SN - 0378-4371
IS - 24
ER -